Hemelbed 1712

Daniël Marot created this print of a four-poster bed, or ‘Hemelbed’ in the Dutch, using etching. The print shows us a lot about the social life of the Dutch elite at the turn of the 18th century. Marot was working at a time when Dutch society was heavily influenced by French court culture. As we can see in this image, French styles, and the aristocratic rituals that went with them, were highly fashionable amongst the upper classes in the Netherlands. Aristocratic culture placed great importance on extravagant displays of wealth and power and on the rituals and spaces of courtly life, especially the bedroom. The bed was not just a place to sleep, but also a space for social gatherings, and even conducting affairs of state. Prints like these helped to spread these fashions by showcasing the latest trends in interior design. Art historians use these as a valuable resource for understanding the material culture of the past.